Rail-joint.



A. V. HOENER.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1914.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

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" ALFRED v. HOIENER, oFEAsr rIrrsBo-Rerr,rENnsYLvAmA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24., 1914.

Application fled May 6, .1914. 1 Serial No. 336,754. i

To all whom it may concern j j Be it known that. I, ALFRED V. HOENER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at East Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to rail joints and has for itsobject to provide a device of such class, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, for connecting a pair of track rails together without the employmentof nuts and bolts, at the same time allowing for the necessary contraction and expansion of the track rails due to climatic conditions.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a rail joint or clamp which is simple in its construction and arrangement, readily applied, eilicient and convenient in its use, strong, durable and inexpensive to manufacture. r

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of a novel construction, combination and arran ement of parts as hereinafter more speci'ically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications I 1 can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views;--Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rail joint in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a cross sec tional view of a track rail showing the adaptation therewith of a rail joint in accordance with this invention. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of one of the clamping arms. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the other clampingarm, and .Fig. 5 is a per spective View broken away of the end of the tool employed for separating the clamp arms.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 6

which register with the openings 9, and extending through said registering, openings are cylindrical bars 15 having each end provided with a reduce cylindrical stem 16. The stem 16 projects outwardly from the fish plates 11. i

The fish plates 11 are clamped to the track rails through the medium of a plurality of pairs of inter-engaging clamping arms, the number of pairs of clamping arms depending upon the number of bars 15 em-: ployed. Preferably but two bars 15 are employed, under which conditions two pairs of inter-engaging clamping arms are employed. The clamping arms of each pair are indicated by the reference characters 17-18 and each of said arms is provided with abase 19 which at its outer terminus merges into a round extension 20, the latter having projecting therefrom an upwardly The arm 21 has the upper terminus of its inner face formed with a rectangular offset 22 formed with a centrally disposed pocket 23, into which projects a stem 16. The bases 19 of the arms 17-18are positioned against the lower face of the bases 13 of the track rails and the said bases 19 of said arms 17-48 are oppositely disposed with respect to each other, but extend in the same plane.

The base 19 of the arm 17 has its lower face serrated to provide transverse teeth 24. The free terminus of the base 19 of the arm 17 is beveled as at 25, and projecting from said beveled terminus 25 is the downwardly inclined inner portion 26 of a locking arm. 27, the latter when the arms 17-18 are in clamping position, engages the lower face of thebase .19 of the arm 18. The inclined portion 26 of the locking arm 27 is disposed centrally with respect to the beveled terminus 25. j i

The free terminus of thebase 19 of the arm 18 is beveled asat 28, the bevel being opposite with respect to the bevel of the free terminus of the base 19 of the arm 17 and formed .integralwiththe base 19 of the arm 18, at the free terminus of said base, is the downwardly inclined portion 29 of a pair of locking arms 30. The arms 30 are flush with the sides of the base 19 of the arm 18 clamping position. The free end of each and inwardly extending groove arm 21.;

of the arms 30 at the top edge thereof, cut away as at 32 to provide a shoulder which opposes the base 19 of the arm 17 and forms in connection with said base a recess 33, into which is adapted to extend a lug 34; carried by a tool 85 whereby the arms 30 can be pried away from the base 19 of the arm 17 whereby the clamping arms can i be disconnected from each other and the fish plates 11 released.

iVhen the arms of each pair of clamping arms are in operative position, the. inclined portion 26 extends outwardly between the arms 30, and the arm 27 is positioned against the base 19 of the arm 18, and the arms 30 are positioned below the base 19 of the arm 17, but the teeth 31 of said arms 30 engage in the teeth 24: formed on the lower face of the base 19 of the arm 17, and when the arms 27 and 30 are in the position as stated, the arms 17-18 are maintained'in clamping engagement with the offset portion 22 bearing against the fish plates 11 and the pocket 23 receiving the stem 16. The arms 1718 are resilient whereby they will snap in position.

Although the clamp is shown employed in connection with the rail joint, yet, it is to be understood that the clamp can be adapted for any purpose wherein it is found ap licable.

What I claim is 1. The combination of a bar having a stem at each end, of a pair of clamping arms having the inner face thereof at the top formed with a flat bearing surface provided with a recess for the reception of a stem, said surface bearing against said bar, each of said arms including a base, said bases be ing oppositely disposed and extending in the same plane with respect to each other,

one of said bases having its lower face provided with teeth, a locking arm projecting from said toothed base and adapted to en gage the lower face of the other base, and a pair of locking arms projecting from the smooth base and provided with teeth adapted to engage in said toothed base, said pair of locking arms having said single locking arm extending therebetween.

2. In combination a pair of rails, a pair of fish plates positioned against the sides of said rails, bars extending through said rails and fish plates and having their ends 3. A clamp comprising a bar adapted to extend through the elementsto be clamped together, said bar having each of its ends provided with a stem, a pair of members abutting against the ends'of said bar and having pockets for the reception of said stems, each of said members provided with a base, said bases arranged in the same plane and extending in opposite directions with respect to each other, one of said bases bemg toothed and provided with an arm engaging the other of said base, said last mentioned base provided with a pair of arms having teeth engaging in the first mentioned base, said arms when engaging said base maintaining said members in clamping position.

4. A clamp comprisinga bar adapted to 1 extend through the elements to be clamped together, said bar having each of its ends provided with a stem, a pair of members abutting against the ends of said bar and having pockets for the reception of said stems, each of said members provided with a base, said bases arranged in the same plane and extending in opposite directions with respect to each other, one of said bases being toothed and provided with an arm engaging the other of said base, said last mentioned base provided with a pair of arms having teeth engaging in the first mentioned base, said arms when engaging said base maintaining said members in clamping position, said single arm extending between said pair of arms.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED, V. HOENER.

. Vitnesses:

MAX H. SRoLovrrz, NICHOLAS L. BOGAN,

Gopies of this patent may be obtained'for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ratents,

Washington, D. W 

